The present invention relates to a heat exchanger having a plurality of fin members for exchanging heat between two fluids, for example, between refrigeration medium and air or the like.
There have been various attempts to enhance the performance of a fin tube heat exchanger used in an air-conditioner or refrigerator. In particular, developments on the structure of thin, plate-shaped fin member of the fin tube heat exchanger have been carried out in order to obtain the higher heat exchange performance.
In order to enhance the performance of the heat exchanger, a plurality of cut and raised portions are formed on each fin member. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,832,117 to Kato discloses a thin, plate-shaped fin member having a plurality of raised portions. Each fin member has a fin base on which aligned through-holes are formed, and a plurality of the raised portions. Legs of the raised portions are inclined with respect to a longitudinal front edge so that each leg generally conforms to the tangent line of the nearest through-hole. Further, the raised portions are formed over the entire width of the fin member.
In this configuration, the airflow may be led to pass through the area spaced from a heat exchanger tube inserted in each through-hole. Thus, the heat exchange performance between air and the fin member may be insufficient. In addition, the raised portions formed over the entire width of the fin member may resist against the airflow, and thus, the pressure drop increases. This may cause the undesirable noise. Further, the excessive number of the raised portions may cause the cost of making a stamping die for the fin member to be higher, and the life of the stamping die to be shorter.
As above, it is necessary that the fin tube heat exchanger has fin members on which the raised portions are formed in a manner such that the resistance against the airflow is minimized while the good performance of the heat exchange is maintained.
In addition, there is a need that each fin member is configured so that the raw material for making it is saved while the good performance of the heat exchange is maintained.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a fin tube heat exchanger having a plurality of fin members that are configured so that the resistance against the airflow is minimized while good performance of the heat exchange is maintained.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a fin tube heat exchanger having a plurality of fin members that are configured so that the raw material, for example aluminum strip or plate, for making them is saved while the good performance of the heat exchange is maintained.
The above and other objects of the present invention are accomplished by providing a fin tube heat exchanger comprising:
a plurality of plate-shaped elongated fin members spaced at regular intervals in parallel with one another, each fin member having a fin base, a plurality of through-holes in at least two rows in a longitudinal direction of the fin member and a plurality of raised portions with legs;
a plurality of heat exchanger tubes inserted into said through-holes;
each fin member having flat areas at a front and middle regions of a front half and a middle region of a rear half, and
each raised portion disposed at least at a rear region of the front half and a front region of the rear half, and having the legs inclined by a predetermined angle with respect to a traverse centerline which passes through the center of a adjacent through-hole of the front row in a manner such that the more volume of the air is directed toward the vicinity of the tubes of the rear row.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, it is provided a fin tube heat exchanger having a plurality of plate-shaped fin member spaced at regular intervals in parallel and a plurality of tubes,
each fin member has a front edge and a rear edge, the front edge having protruded portions and recessed portions and the rear edge having protruded portions and recessed portions.